'atta boy

Mort Zieve of SMZ Advertising returned from vacation a few weeks back to find one of his "clients" waiting for him outside the agency's Troy, Mich., office. It was a 4-foot-tall, 80-pound cement Big Boy statue, making a rare appearance somewhere other than outside a Big Boy restaurant.

The statue, carried around by a "caretaker," was positioned as if was peering into Zieve's office, and holding a sign that read, "Welcome home to OUR Big Boy."

There was another surprise waiting for Zieve in the kitchen—a chocolate ice cream party.

"Ice cream Fridays" have been a longstanding tradition at SMZ, with Big Boy supplying the ice cream to employees, said agency representative Jaclyn Lupo.

The agency has had the Warren, Mich.-based Big Boy Restaurants International advertising and public relations account for 26 years.

"As a result, we have established a close and friendly relationship, which allows us to maintain a fun atmosphere," Lupo said.

The idea for the daylong visit by the statue originated with the client, she said.

Mort Zieve of SMZ Advertising returned from vacation a few weeks back to find one of his "clients" waiting for him outside the agency's Troy, Mich., office. It was a 4-foot-tall, 80-pound cement Big Boy statue, making a rare appearance somewhere other than outside a Big Boy restaurant.

The statue, carried around by a "caretaker," was positioned as if was peering into Zieve's office, and holding a sign that read, "Welcome home to OUR Big Boy."

There was another surprise waiting for Zieve in the kitchen—a chocolate ice cream party.

"Ice cream Fridays" have been a longstanding tradition at SMZ, with Big Boy supplying the ice cream to employees, said agency representative Jaclyn Lupo.

The agency has had the Warren, Mich.-based Big Boy Restaurants International advertising and public relations account for 26 years.

"As a result, we have established a close and friendly relationship, which allows us to maintain a fun atmosphere," Lupo said.

The idea for the daylong visit by the statue originated with the client, she said.